The chirping of insects resounded through the Bailey's garden. The sensation of the robe brushing his skin felt comfortable, if it weren't for the fact that there was nothing else underneath.
He took a long breath before exhaling, just like how Allen taught him.
Honestly, he didn't really feel anything different whenever he tried it, but it did calm his nerves.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Then a voice spoke from behind him. "Are you ready, Mr Malfoy? You are the first one, and after successfully managing to feel your animal heart, we can proceed with the next part of the ritual."
Armand nodded. Yesterday night, the lighting finally struck, creating the conditions for the animagus transfiguration. The one last thing before trying it was to check Armand's animal heart, the second heart who was supposed to beat along with your first one when the process went well.
And in these last couple of days he indeed felt something like that, though it made him feel a bit anxious to feel two heartbeats.
In any case, it wouldn't matter after today since the transformation would link the two hearts together, creating a perfect union.
His friends wanted to witness it but Professor Malik refuted it strongly, only his parents and himself were allowed to watch, in case something happened.
Of course, they would be a few meters away and be completely hidden by nature, just so he wouldn't feel as nervous when the transformation happened.
Armand took another long breath before the professor signaled him to start.
He placed his wand-tip against his heart and muttered the incantation one last time. "Amato Animo Animato Animagus" Then, drank the blood-red tinted potion with his other hand.
An intense pain assaulted him just as he finished drinking the potion, he felt as if his skin began to burn and his heartbeat intensified twofold. Armand felt the adrenaline rushing in like a storm but the pain made it impossible to continue standing. He collapsed on the ground, shaking, feeling his whole world burn away.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, a clad-white figure appeared in his vision. It was standing on four legs, he felt it was bigger than a dog. Then it leaped at him, as if attacking him, Armand on the other hand, stood his ground, facing it head-on, shouting towards it.
He couldn't tell if he did it in his mind or if he actually shouted, but the moment the animal clashed with him, he felt a light envelop him. The light that formed the animal was what enveloped him.
All of his surroundings suddenly changed, he felt his field of vision improve in leaps and bounds and not only that, if it weren't for the stars in the sky, he would've assumed it was evening.
His height changed drastically, and as he looked down, he saw a pair of paws. A pair of white paws.
One step after another, dirt flew around and the grass got trampled on by his paws. He tripped a few times before managing to get the hang of things and began to walk normally, then the walk became a full sprint.
The wind brushed against his fur, and anywhere he looked at it seemed like a completely new experience.
When he tried to shout out of happiness, a growl left his mouth instead, surprising him.
"Congratulations, Mr Malfoy." Professor Malik spoke from behind him, covering him with the robe again. "From the conversations we had, I half-expected a feline, but to think it would be something so eye-catching." He chuckled for a bit before continuing.
"I'm sorry to say this, but if you wanted to manage the animagus transfiguration to pass unnoticed, the effort might have been wasted."
"Now, try to undo the transfiguration. I have your wand right here. Just think about the magic being undone. Visualize your human self as clearly as you can."
A few minutes passed by but nothing changed. Armand turned towards the Professor looking for an answer. "Don't panic, keep trying, it might take a while, but continue to think about your human self."
Armand took a big breath just like how Allen taught him and thought back on his human form. He closed his eyes and before he knew it he was already standing on his feet, instead of paws.
The landscape all around him suddenly changed the moment he opened his eyes, everything turned darker and his vision fell short, barely managing to see far away, unlike before. "I did it!" Armand shouted excitedly. "Professor! I did it!" As he turned around, he saw Lucius and Narcissa in front of him, both wearing a proud smile on their faces.
A comfortable silence passed between them before Narcissa spoke up. "You did great, dear. And something that usually takes adult wizards to do, took you only a year." She clasped her hands together before bringing him towards her in an embrace.
Lucius cleared his throat besides her and put his hand on top of his shoulder. "Yes, I'm proud of you, Armand. You truly make the Malfoy name proud." He paused for a moment. "And while I would like to keep the fact that we have an animagus in the family. I don't think your… professor would be fine with that. Or the Baileys for that matter."
"For my part… I'm not from the British Isles so whether you do so or not falls under the jurisdiction of the parents, on the other hand, his animagus form is too eye-catching, so even if he didn't register at the minister, someone would find out eventually." Finished professor Malik.
Armand nodded. "Yeah, I think it would be best to register, after all, who would believe a white panther is natural from Britain?"
"I quite agree, Mr Malfoy." Professor Malik handed him his wand back.
—--------------------
"Congratulations!" Allen jumped straight at Armand with William in tow, followed by Sophia and Elsie.
"So, what is it?!" Asked William hurriedly, excited to know.
"Heh. Don't be too shocked, but I'm a white panther." Armand explained proudly, while Narcissa took out a few photos out of her purse, apparently she had taken them when he transformed completely and began to run around the garden.
"Mate! That's insane! How'd feel?"
"Well, to be honest, it did hurt, for a while, but then when the transformation happened, the pain went away immediately. I saw my animal form in the middle of the process, but you have to stand your ground against it." Armand continued to explain how it went for him while they looked at the photographs.
After they were done talking, Professor Malik gathered them, children and parents alike. "As I've said to Mr Malfoy and Msr Malfoy before, I'm not from this country, therefore, I can't exactly pressure any of you into registering within your country, that is not to say that I wouldn't recommend it.
Of course it has its advantages and disadvantages, only the parents present can know what's best for their child, but from my understanding is that an unregistered animagus is sentenced to azkaban. Something I believe none of the parents here want their kids to go through. Ultimately, the decision is for the parent.
The other thing I've wanted to discuss is regarding the next student to try the process. Mr Lionheart, we'll be following the same process as with the mandrake leaves, if that is okay with all of you." Professor Malik finished as he turned to the other kids, to which they all nodded in agreement.
"Yeah! I wanna see if he'll become a lion cub or a full grown lion!" William cried.
Both Sophia and Elsie couldn't hold it in at the ridiculousness of what he just said before bursting into a fit of laughter."Hahahaha."
Allen, on the other hand, chuckled as well, thinking how… predictable it would be if he actually became a lion. He would have to think that something or someone was planning for it. 'In any case, I wouldn't mind it, I've grown a lot as a person, you know, "mysterious being" who placed me in Slytherin while having "lion" in my name.
You know what, I actually want to be a lion, damn it all! They are cool, and I want to look cool. A lion would be a hundred times better than a stupid beetle anyway.'
"You are right William, I also want to see if I'll have a mane or if I'll look like a lion cub." He answered back, making his friends smile at him. "When can we start, professor?"
Professor Malik let out a puff of air from his nose before answering. "I like the energy, but let's not be too disappointed if it's not the animal we want, alright?"
Allen nodded, but somehow he could feel it, his name, the house he ended up in, his pocket mirror and watch, and even the box he received from his relative. While it seemed to be a few coincidences, to him it was something more.
"When can he start, professor?" Sophia's dad asked from behind, making them turn around.
He took on a pensive pose before answering. "I'll have to look for another place where there is a thunderstorm, but I'll keep you updated, if everything goes well, in the next three or five days we'll do the process.
Now, I say they deserve a rest, so why don't we talk about what to do in the following months after they become full-fledged animagus."
They all agreed before sending the kids to tuck in for tonight.
—----------------------------
It had been a few days since Armand's transfiguration and while he still needed to practice more, he was getting the hang of it. Sadly, his clothes and everything else he was wearing would always remain behind, when he asked the professor about it, the only answer was that he still needed to practice more, since experienced animagus can transfigurate everything that they are holding with them, instead of only their body.
"So, do you really think it's going to be a lion?" Elsie asked Allen while they were doing their homework.
"Well, yeah, I have a hunch." He answered back as he lifted the quill from his parchment. "And these things usually happen, you know? I don't really know how to explain, but I feel like it's gonna happen because it is something that in the past, I wouldn't want for it to happen, but now I don't care."
"Oh? You don't?" Sophia asked this time, her eyes bright with interest.
He doubted for a moment before answering. "Well… Just a bit, I'd like to be a bird or something that can fly to be honest."
William chimed in, his brows furrowed in contemplation. "It's been a few days already, don't you think it's time Professor Malik comes back so it's your turn?"
A sudden pop resounded in the room, followed by the appearance of a house elf. "Mister Malik wishes to speak with Mr Allen." He paused for a second. "Umm… the floo."
"Thank you poppy." Responded Sophia as she showed the elf a warm smile and patted her on the head. "Here, take a cookie before you go."
"Thank you, miss!" The elf jumped out of joy, just as fast as she appeared, she disappeared again.
"It's my turn!" Allen stood up from his chair and his friends followed along.
"Sure is! Let's go!" Sophia cried as she jumped out as well, and the rest of their friends followed behind.
"Professor! I'm here." He cried as he went towards the floo.
The flames from the chimney sparked around, the colours ranged from red to green while Professor Malik's face was brought to life through the remnants of ash and burnt wood. "I will be arriving shortly, your potion is already one, Mr Lionheart, so prepare thoroughly." The professor's face disappeared after Allen answered excitedly.
It took him over a little twenty minutes before gathering everything in one place and changing clothes to the special robe for the transfiguration process.
And before they knew it, Professor Malik was already there, waiting for them, talking with Sophia's parents. "Ah, Mr Lionheart, glad to see you prepared. I was talking with Mr and Mrs Bailey, and they offered to be on watch for you, with me, in the process of your transfiguration.
Would you be alright with that?"